Fastening means for telescoping tubular members



Sept. 26, 1950 c. J. OLIVER EI'AL 2,523,513

FASTENING MEANS FOR TELESCOPING TUBULAR MEMBERS.

Filed Feb. 25, 1949 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 a i\ 26 5 Z9 .34 i 3? 36 35 19 22 [2'1 Veniar s Cozzrad 1 QLjn/er Joseph K211 05141;

y J a s ep 1950 c. J. OLIVER EIAL 2, 2

FASTENING MEANS FOR TELESCOPING TUBULAR MEMBERS Filed Feb. 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fzzwecz'ziur s Cozzrad J Quiver Joseph 162905141;

E amz g tation formed in the innermost groove.

Patented Sept. 26, 1950 FASTENING MEANS FOR TELESOOPING TUBULAR MEMBERS Conrad J. Oliver, Waukegan, and J os'eph'Kupski,

North Chicago, Ill., assignors to The Chicago Hardware Foundry Company, North Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 25, 1949, Serial No. 78,344

Claims. (01. 155-134) The present invention relates to fastening means for telescoping tubular members and more particularly to means disposed wholly within a plurality of telescoping tubular members for maintaining the members in nested relation.

The present invention provides an inexpensive, easily manufactured, and readily adjustable means for securing a pair of telescoping tubular members together in nested relation without the employment of securing means extending externally of the nested members. Tubing of a specified size, as commercially available, may vary in internal and external diameter and in Wall thickness throughout arelatively wide range. This dimensional variance makes impossible the accurate fitting of nestedtubular members, particularly where one of the members is to be employed in a load-bearing capacity. Accordingly, it has previously been necessary to machine one or both of said members before an accurate, frictional, telescopic fit could be obtained.

The disadvantages residing in the necessity of such machining are well illustrated in the case of the manufacture of stools for soda fountains, counters, and the like in which a tubular post is fitted within a cylindrical recess'formed in a base structure to support a seat in spaced relation to the base. Prior to the present invention, it has been necessary in securing: the tubular post in position within the base to machine each piece of tubing to fit the machined base recess within which it is to be fitted so that a snug fit may be obtained to eliminate the possibility of relative movement between the tube and the base. The additional manufacturing expense entailed in the machining of each piece of tubing will be evident.

More particularly, the present invention relates to means adapted to be wholly disposed within a plurality of telescoping tubular members to maintain the members in nested relation. In accordance with the present invention, a wedge plug is provided to be inserted within the inside of the inner telescoping tubular member, the plug being dimensioned to fit snug- Ihe innermost ly Within the innermost tube. tubular member itself is provided with an indentation, or preferably a peripheral groove, extending inwardly 'toward the wedge plug, and the wedge plug itself may be suitably provided with a recessed portion for receiving the inden- We desire to form the wedge. plug as a generally cylindrical member having a peripheral groove adapted to receive the peripheral groove of the 2 innermost tubular member, the wedge plug having sharpened annular edges defining the edges of the peripheral groove.

By the use of the Wedge plug as hereinbefore described, it is only necessary to effect movement of the plug relative to the innermost tubular the innermost tubular member, forcing portions of this member into extended surface engagement with the outer tubular member to maintain the nested tubular members in fixed position.

The present invention is particularly applicable for use with a stool having a thin-walled post secured to a base by the fastening means above described so that the post may support a seat in spaced relation to the base. The means for effecting movement of the wedge plug relative to the tubular post may readily take the form of a bolt and nut, which at the same time serve to anchor the base to a supporting surface.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved, readily employed, inexpensive fastening means for securing telescoping tubular members in nested relation, the fastening means being entirely disposed within the nested tubular members and serving to peripherally deform one of the tubular members into extended surface contact with an adjacent tubular member.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide fastening means for securing telescoping tubular members in nested relation by deformation of the innermost of the nested tube into peripheral surface contact with the outer tube by the use of a Wedge plug fitting snugly within the innermost tubular member.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide an improved stool, including a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a supporting tubular post seated in the recess and a wedge plug for maintaining the post within. the base recess, the wedge plug having an annular seating face engaging a recessed portion of the post, and means for effecting movement of the wedge plug relative to the post to effect peripheral deformation of the post into contact with the base.

v Other and further important objects of this invention will-be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a stool of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, broken sectional view,

lar to Figure 2 illustrating the position of the fastening means during assembly of the stool; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged'view similar to Figure 5 illustrating the final assemblies and tightening of the fastening means.v

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral I refers generally to a stool of the present invention comprising a base II, a thin-walled tubular post I2 secured to base If, and a seat I3 rotatably carried by post I2.

As more particularly shown in Figure 2, seat I3 is secured to post I2 by means ofa tripod I4 having a cylindrical depending shank I5 received by a tripod bushing I6 telescopically mounted in one open end of tubular post I2. A set screw I1 is threadedly received by a threaded aperture I8 extending radially of tripod bushing I6 for securing the seat I3 against rotation by engagement with boss I5 desired.

Base II is provided with a lower flared, circular portion I9 having an interior bottom recess 20 formed therein to define .an annular, peripheral, load-bearing surface I9a for:contacting a supporting surface, such as a floor 22. Base II is provided with an upstanding central, generally cylindrical embossment 2|: defining a central, cylindrical recess 2Ia terminatingin 'a lower shoulder 23 defined by an additional bore 24*of smaller diameter than recess 23 and .concentric therewith. A central cylindrical arperhim 25 provides communication from-.bottom'recess 26 to the upper recess 2Ia.

The tubular post I2 is secured tothe base II by the fastening means of the present invention including-a generally cylindrical, cuppedwedge plug 26 having an upper portion 21 apertured as at 28 in axial alignment with recess 2Ia, and aperture 25 hereinbefore described. The plug 26 is also provided with depending cylindrical side walls 29 provided with a peripheral recess or groove 30.

The lower portion of the tubular post I2 is of such size as to fit more or less snugly within recess 2 la and is provided with a peripheral recess 3| of substantially the same size asthe groove 30 of plug 21. The grooved portion 3| of post I2 extends into groove 30 'of-tlrie-plug 21 and serves to maintain the-plug 21 in position within the lower portion of tubular post I2 as shown in Figure 2.

A bolt 32 is employed to maintain the base II in position upon supporting surface 22 and also 4 to maintain the post I2 in position withiri'recess supporting surface 22 by screws 36.- The shank of bolt 32 extends upwardly from" a'plate35 bolt head 33 being positioned in recess 34 and the bolt shank extending upwardly therebeyond. Base II is next fitted over plate 35 with the bolt shank passing-through the aperture 25 upwardly into therecesscZIa. The plug 26 is inserted within the lower end of post I2 and held therein while the'post I2 is rolled, or otherwise deformed; to form groove 3I extending into recess 38 of plug 26. The plug recess 38 thus receives the wall of groove 3| of post I2, the recess and groove being in substantial alignment, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5. The assembled .plug and post are next inserted in recess 22 so'that the shank of bolt 32 extends upwardly through central aperture 28 of plug .26. The washer'31 andnuts 38 and 39 are next placed on bolt 32 and tightened by means of a long-shanked socket wrench inserted through the tubular post I2 from the open upper end, and the bolts are tightened until the sharpened edge of recess 30 formed in-plug26 contacts groove 3| extending into the groove formed in plug 21. The recessed portion 30 .of plug. 26 and. the groove 3I of post I2 are thus moved out of alignment.

Upon contact between that portion of the plug 26 immediately adjacent the groove 30 and the gro0ved'portion 3I of. post I2, the metal of the grooved portion of the tube 12 will be confined beneath the upper plugedge, and the tube-I2 will be forcedoutwardly into-tight gripping surface engagement withthe walls of recess 2Ia. In this manner, the wall-of groove 3I will be deformed radiallyoutwardlyiby the tightening of nuts 38 and 39 and the resulting downward movement of plug 21 within the'tube I2. This deformation of the groove wall is shown in Figures 5 and 6, in which it may be seen that portion 3 la of the wall of groove 3I is forced radially outward- 1y. into tight: gripping contact with the interior peripheral surface of recess 2 Ia. Thus; the tubular post I2 will be tightly positioned within. base II and maintained-in this position bymeans of bolt 32 and nuts38 and 39, the bolt 32 also serving to secure the entire stool. to the supporting surface 22.

Following the securing-0f the post within the base, the seat shankl 5 is-inserted within bushing I6 of post I2 and the assembled stool is ready for use.

It will, of course; be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a widerange. without departing from the principlesof this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. r

We claim as our invention? 1. Fastening means forsecuring'in fixed nested relation'a pair'of telescoping members, the inner of which has a peripheral groove formed therein, comprising a wedge pl of such configuration as to fit snugly 'withiri'said inner member and having I a recessed -portion receiving the wall of said peripheral groove'fand'means foreffecting relative movement between said plug and said inner member to bring said recessed portion out of alignment with said groove and cause the wall of said groove to be deformed outwardly into tight gripping engagement with said outer member to secure said members against relative movement.

2. Fastening means for securing in fixed nested relation a pair of telescoping members, the inner of which has a peripheral groove formed therein adjacent one'end thereof, comprising a cylindrical wedge plug of substantially the same exterior diameter as the interior diameter of said inner member and adapted'to be inserted in said one end thereof, said wedge plug having a recessed portion in initial alignment with the wall of said peripheral groove, and bolt means operable against said wedge plug for effecting movement of said plug relative to said telescoping members, forcing said recessed portion of said plug out of alignment with said peripheral groove of said inner member, and causing the wall of said groove to be deformed outwardly into tight gripping engagement with said outer member to secure said members against relative movement.

3. Fastening means for securing telescoping members in fixed nested relation, the inner of said telescoping members having a peripheralv groove formed therein, comprising a cupped wedge plug fitting snugly within said inner telescoping member, said plug having a peripheral recess formed therein for loosely receiving the peripheral groove of said inner member, and bolt means extending into said inner telescoping member and contacting said wedge plug for urging said wedge plug out of alignment with said portion of said inner telescoping member, thus causing radial deformation of the wall of said groove into tight gripping engagement with said outer member to'secure saidmembers against relative movement. i

4. In a stool, a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a seat-supporting tubular post seated in said recess and initially having a peripheral groove formed in that portion extending into said recess, a wedge plug disposed within the grooved portion of said post and having a generally conforming peripheral groove for alignment with said first groove, and means for urging said plug axially of said post to displace the material of said post outwardly into tight gripping engagement with said base.

5. In a stool, a base having an upper cylindrical recess formed therein a seatsupporting tubular post for fitting into said recess having a peripheral groove formed in that portion adapted to fit into said recess, a cylindrical wedge plug for disposition within the grooved portion of said post and having a peripheral groove formed therein adapted to be initially aligned with the groove in said post to receive the wall of said post groove, and means for urging said plug axially of said post to move said grooves out of alignment and force the wall of said post groove outwardly into tight gripping engagement with the wall of said base recess. 1

6. In a stool, a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a seat-supporting post having a tubular end for insertion into said recess and v having a peripheral groove in said end, a wedge plug for disposition within said post end having a peripheral groove for receiving the wall of the peripheral groove of said post, and fastening means for drawing said plug into said recess whereby, upon tightening said fastening means, said plug is caused to deform said groove wall radiall outwardly into tight gripping contact with the wall of said recess to fixedly position said post within said recess.

'7. A stool comprising a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a seat-supporting tubular post seated insaid recess and having a peripheral groove formed in that portion ex tending into said recess, and means deforming a portion of thegroove outwardly into tightly gripping surface engagement with walls of said recess to fixedly secure said post to said base.

8. A stool comprising a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a thin-walled seatsupporting tubular post seated in said recess and having a recessed wall portion defining a peripheral groove formed in that portion of said post extending into said recess, and means tightly engaging the wall of said groove to deform the wall radially outwardly into tightly gripping surface engagement with the walls of said base recess to fixedly secure said post therein.

9. A stool comprising a base having a cylindrical recess formed therein, a thin-walled seatsupporting tubular post seated in said recess, bolt means securing said stool to a supporting surface and extending into said recess, and means urged by said bolt means into contact with that portion of said post seated in said recess to A deform said post outwardly into tightly gripping surface engagement with walls of said'base recess to fixedly secure said post therein.

10. A stool comprising a base having acylindrical recess formed therein, a thin-walled seatsupporting tubular post having a recessed wall portion extending into said recess, bolt means securing said stool to a supporting surface and extending into said recess and a wedge plug forced by said bolt means into biting engagement with said recessed wall portion of said post, the recessed wall portion of said post being thus deformed into tightly gripping surface engagement with adjacent wall surfaces of said recess to fixedly secure said post to said recess.

CONRAD J. OLIVER. JOSEPH KUPSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the O file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

